The Edisto Island Community Association Oyster Roast every February is something you need to experience.

Things to do:

People come back to Edisto every year because they enjoy the low-key lifestyle. You can take the children crabbing. Go shrimping or fishing. Or just watch the sun set.

As the weather begins to hint of spring we all want to get outdoors. The sunshine is calling us to play some golf, walk on the beach, or go for a bike ride. When summer arrives Edisto is at its peak with so many things to do.

We don't have to tell you about the beach. Edisto has been a family get a way for generations. But there's much much more.

Bird watchers find a paradise on Edisto and history lovers go exploring. They immediately sense the roots of this community which reach back to the Native Americans (visit the shell mound in the State Park). Visiting the sites of Sea Cloud Plantation or Bleak Hall's ice house give an excuse to get out and look around.

And nature, as always, is inviting you to Botany Bay, the State Park, to enjoy our bike paths or to take the short drive to Caw Caw Swamp Interpretive Center. Edisto is, after all, the gateway to the 350,000 acre ACE Basin (Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto rivers) one of the largest conservation districts in the US. (http://www.fws.gov/acebasin/)

Celebrate the drive along the Edisto Island National Scenic Byway, www.byways.org ,newly designated by the Federal Department of Transportation. This designation places Edisto alonside such other scenic byways as Route 66, the Alaskan Marine Byway, the Selma to Montgomery March Byway, the Outer Banks Scenic Byway, the Florida Keys Scenic Byway and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Upcoming Events

2nd Annual Buck's Pizza King Mackerel Tournament
Edisto Marina
Sept. 3 & 4
Weigh in Sat. 3-4 pm
for more information

Edisto Fish & Shag Fest
Sept. 3 & 4
Big Bay Park
10 am - 10:30 pm
The Catalinas 7-10:30 pm

Meet the Candidates for Charleston Dist. 8
Anna Johnson & Thomas Legare - Charleston Co. Council
Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. Jane Edwards Community School
everyone welcome - light refreshments
Sponsored by Edisto Is. Community Assn. & the
Edisto Is. Preservation Alliance

Beach/River Sweep
Sept. 18, 2010
for more information www.edistopride.org

2010 Edisto & Beyond Tour
Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society
Saturday Oct. 9th 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Extremely limited ticket availability - members get first opportunity
www.edistomuseum.org

Edisto Beach Elementary Silent Auction
Nov. 21

Edisto Island Museum Open House
Nov. 26
for more information www.edistomuseum.org

20th Annual Edisto Beach Christmas Parade
December 11 2 p.m.
sponsored by the Edisto Island Chamber of Commerce

Boat Christmas Parade
Dec. 11 5 p.m.
sponsored by the Edisto Island Chamber of Commerce

Edisto Community Chorus Christmas Concert
Dec. 12

Guided Tours

Tours of Edisto
Call Dottie (A long time island resident; family many generations on the island.)
843-869-1984
www.toursofedisto.com

Island Tours and T’ings “the Pink Van Tour”
843-869-1110
(Also a long time Edisto resident; family many generations on the island.)
www.thepinkvantour.com

Botany Bay Ecotours
Led by biologist and conservationist Meg Hoyle whose extensive knowledge of the low country will make your experience memorable
843-869-2998
www.botanybayplantation.com

Ace Basin Tours
843-869-3099
www.acebasintours.com

Nature Tours, Shelling & Sunset Tours
Edisto Watersports
843-869-0663
www.edistowatersports.biz

Camping

Edisto Beach State Park
1-866-345-7275 (Camping and cabin reservations)
1-843-869-2156 (Reservations within next 3 days)
www.SouthCarolinaParks.com

The state park, originally built by the CCC during the depression and opened in the 1930’s. The park includes 1,255 acres and offers 63 camping sites in the main campground, 50 sites in its Live Oak campground. There are 5 rustic sites, 7 vacation cabins and the park boasts picnic areas with shelters, ocean swimming and beach combing, nature trails and a boat landing with dock. The Spanish Mount Trail winds 3 ½ miles through a maritime forest. The ACE Basin interpretive center is a must see when on Edisto.

Fishing/crabbing/shrimping /boating/kayaking Charters

Ugly Ducklin’ II River Fishing with Steve Fralin
USCG licensed
843-869-1580 or 843-908-2071
19’ Carolina Skiff, up to 4 anglers
www.edistofishingcharters.com

Island Bikes & Outfitters Kayak Tours
843-869-4444

Edisto Watersports & Tackle
USCG licensed captains
843-869-0663
www.edistowatersports.net

Edisto Fishing Charters
843-869-2933
www.fishedisto.com

Botany Bay Ecotours
Led by biologist and conservationist Meg Hoyle whose extensive knowledge of the low country will make your experience memorable
843-869-2998
www.botanybayplantation.com

Reefs

Edisto has two artificial reefs relatively close off shore. Built by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources you can find the locations at www.dnr.sc.gov

Fishing Tournaments

Gov. Cup Billfishing Tournament
Annual Event, usually in May
For information contact the Edisto Marina
843-869-3504 or go to
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/pub/seascience/offshorefish.html
http://govcup.dnr.sc.gov/

Boat Landings & Marinas

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/boating/index.html

Edisto Marina Inc.
843-869-3504

Dawhoo Landing at McKinley Washington Bridge
Intracoastal Waterway Hwy. 174
Picnic tables, courtesy and fishing dock.

Live Oak Landing at Edisto Beach State Park
Palmetto Rd. (fee)

Steamboat Landing
At the end of Steamboat Landing Rd. off of Hwy. 174
Small parking area, courtesy dock.

Edisto Watersports & Tackle
Supplies & bait
843-869-0663
(also see grocery and convenience stores)

Note: Hunting and fishing licenses are required in SC. Licenses are available at the Edistonian General Store.

Boat Rental

Island Bikes & Outfitters
17’ Rogue Boats
843-869-4444

Bicycling

Edisto Beach offers wonderful bike trails as does the State Park.

Island Bikes & Outfitters
843-869-4444

Edisto Bike Rentals
843-869-4575

Edisto Essentials
843-869-0951

Golf

Edisto’s temperate weather allows you to play 12 months of the year.

The Plantation Golf Course on Edisto
843-869-1111
Recently renovated (2007) and restored to its original beauty and challenge, this course ranks with some of the best in SC. Lots of water, bring plenty of balls.
www.theplantationcourseatedisto.com

The Links at Stono Ferry
(nearby off island)
843-869-1817
(approx. 25 mi. off island on Hwy. 162. Just past Hollywood heading to Hwy. 17)
www.stonoferrygolf.com

History

History is everywhere on Edisto, a great place to start is at the:

EIHPS Museum
843-869-1954
Corner of Chisolm Rd. and Hwy 174
On Hwy. 174 at Edisto’s Middleton Plantation, this museum is presented by the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society largely through private donations and memberships. It has an outstanding collection of local artifacts and interprets the history of the island from it’s earliest times to recent past. Open Tues.-Sat. 1 to 4 p.m. A small admission is charged.
www.edistomuseum.org

Churches on National Historic Registry

Presbyterian Church on Edisto Island
Sanctuary renovated in 2003 lovely churchyard and
historic session house
2164 Hwy. 174
843-869-2326
www.pcedisto.org

The Old First Baptist Church
probably the oldest church building still in use on the island,
monument to Hephzibah Townsand in churchyard
1644 Hwy. 174
843-869-2432

Trinity Episcopal Church
picturesque chapel and churchyard
1589 Hwy. 174
843-869-3568

Places of interest (Nearby off island)

Drayton Hall
(35 mins. from Edisto)
843-769-2600
www.draytonhall.org

ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge
8675 Willtown Rd. (Headquarters in Grove Plantation)
Turn left at the intersection of Willtown Rd. and Hwy. 174
http://www.fws.gov/acebasin/ or www.dnr.sc.gov/marhe/nrri/acechar/egresman.htm

Charleston Convention and Visitors Center
www.charlestoncvb.com

Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce
www.Beaufort-SC.org

Charles Towne Landing
Location of the first settlement of Charleston www.charlestowne.org/visitus.shtml

Caw Caw Interpretive Center
643 acre park showcases low country natural, historical and cultural heritage. 5200 Savannah Hwy. (Hwy. 17 near Ravenel)
www.ccprc.com/index.asp?NID=206

Nature

Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area
Botany Bay Rd. turn left at end of road - sign in
dawn to dark, seasonal hunts may affect access
843-953-9300 during business hours
Closed Tuesdays for essential maintenance
DNR Announces Botany Bay Opening
Botany Bay Plantation
BotanybayWMA

Edisto Island Serpentarium
843-869-1171 Seasonal - reopens for 2009 April 30
An Edisto must-see. Whether you love reptiles or hate them, you’ll come away with a better understanding of their role in our ecosystem. Created by the Clamp family, it sits right on Hwy. 174 just before the Old Post Office Restaurant as you leave the beach.
www.edistoserpentariun.com

ACE Basin Interpretive Center at the Edisto Beach State Park
An outstanding look at the role our marshes and estuarine resources play when you live at the edge of the ocean.

Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species
If you look to your right as you come onto the island you may spot the bald eagle that likes to sit on top of the power pole next to the McKinley Washington Bridge. You may also see wood storks, ospreys and other not-so-common birds. Yet there are a number plants and animals that are not so well known worth looking for. To learn more go here: https://www.dnr.sc.gov:4443/pls/heritage/county_species.list?pcounty=charleston and here:
www.carolinabirdclub.org/sites/SC/edistoinlet.html

Nature Tours

It’s always easier when you’re somewhere you’re not used to, if you have a guide to show you around. Here are some possibilities:

Edisto Watersports & Tackle ACE basin boat charters
843-869-0663

Edisto Beach State Park
843-869-2756 (Park offices)
www.SouthCarolinaParks.com